222 WHEN I AM WEAK THEN AM I STRONG.

out abundance of rain? O my brethren, what almighty energy is wrapped up in this dependance and trust when we put our hands to the kingdom of Christ. I would say of it as David said of Goliath's sword, "There is none like that; give it me." For want of these heavenly attributes all our strength is withered, all our labor lost. We go forth like the Midianitish army and fill all the valley "as grass-hoppers for multitude;" but one shout of faith, "The sword of the Lord and of Gideon," will do more execution than the whole. O that this lesson might now be written with sun-beams on our heart forever, and it would do more for our usefulness in the kingdom of Christ than all other things. This is the great secret that was to be discovered; this is the grand talisman that will accomplish all things. Supported by its power, "he that is feeble-shall be as David, and the house of David shall be as God." They "shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed and be thou cast into the sea," and "it shall be done," "I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me:" and this is the heavenly amulet about the neck and heart, which conveys the power, "When I am weak then am I strong."

SERMON XV.

THE FAITHFULNESS OF GOD.

ISAI. XLIX. 14-16.

But Zion said, The Lord hath forsaken me, and my Lord hath forgotten me. Can a woman forget her suckling child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? Yea they may forget, yet will I not forget thee. Behold I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands, thy walls are continually before me.

There is a striking analogy between God's general treatment of his Church in different ages of the world, and his treatment of individual Christians in different periods of their life. The various changes which have taken place in the state of the Church, with those which are yet to come, strongly represent the changes which occur in the experiences of individual Christians.

The bondage of the Church in Egypt, its deliverance by the mighty power of God, its overflowing joy when it had safely passed the Red Sea and thought all its enemies slain, the dedication of itself to God at Sinai, the tedious wilderness it had to pass before it could cross the Jordan and rest in

the promised land; the care which God exercised over his people, to feed, guide, and defend them; the numerous enemies they had to encounter; their own fickleness, ingratitude, and rebellion; all represented, with memorable exactness, a Christian's journey from spiritual Egypt to the heavenly Ca

naan.

If we take a wider range and contemplate God's treatment of his Church from the first promise of a Saviour to the day of judgment, the analogy will be still more manifest. So exact it is that when the pen of inspiration is describing the joys or trials, the hopes or fears of the Church at large, individual Christians may see in the description a delineation of their own hearts. Indeed many of the prophecies and most of the promises relate equally to individuals and to the Church at large. An instance of such a double reference is seen in our text. The words may be applied both to the general Church and to all its real members.

So numerous are the evils with which this life is chequered, and so often is the light of God's countenance hid behind the cloud of unbelief, that it is not unfrequently the language of our hearts, "The Lord hath forsaken me, and my Lord hath forgotten me." And in reference to the Church at large we are too prone to say, The Lord hath forsaken and Zion's Lord hath forgotten. He who was acquainted with all our weaknesses and trials, well knew how to adapt his promises to our wants. He knew how to shape and point them so that they could make the readiest way into our hearts. How

could any assemblage of words have a greater tendency to fix a desponding mind on the faithfulness of God, than those which are used in the text?

My purpose is to adduce some arguments to confirm our faith that God will never forget nor forsake his people.

1. The spring of his love to them was in himself, and not in any moral qualities found in them: and therefore no imperfections in them will ever dry up this eternal fountain. He loved at first because it was his nature to love, and his love will continue for the same reason. In fulfilment of his covenant with Christ, his love transformed them from encmies to friends: and if their very enmity could not restrain him from beginning this good work, their remaining sin cannot prevent him from carrying it on to perfection. The apostle therefore was "confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in" Christians, "will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ." If the love of God was changeable, our unnumbered provocations might turn it from us; but on his immutability he himself encouraged us to build our confidence. "I am the Lord, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed." When the Christian is depressed with a sense of his own unworthiness, it is very comforting to reflect, The Lord has not loved me thus far on account of any merit in me; why then should I fear that he will cease to love me on account of my ill desert? It is his glory to love the undeserving who were given to Christ; and I have heard him say, "For my own sake, even for

my own sake will I do it; for how should my name be polluted? and I will not give my glory unto

another."

2. The efficacy of the atonement and righteousness of Christ, by which Christians were at first pardoned and adopted, remains the same: therefore they can never be forsaken. If their unworthiness could reverse the pardoning and justifying sentence, the redemption of Christ would not be complete. If matters were left thus uncertain, and the burden of keeping themselves was laid on their own shoulders, not a child of Adam would ever reach the kingdom of heaven. But blessed be God, that vicarious righteousness which was at first the ground of our pardon and acceptance, is not changed by our sins; and if on this account he can subdue and receive the sinner, surely on this account he will continue to love the saint.

3. Our faith in this by explicit promises. that I will make with those days, saith the Lord, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts, and will be their God, and they shall be my people.And I will give them one heart and one way that they may fear me forever. And I will make an everlasting covenant with them that I will not turn away from them to do them good, but I will put my fear in their hearts that they shall not depart from me." "The Lord is faithful who shall stablish you and keep you from evil. And we have confidence in the Lord touching you, that ye both do and will

delightful truth is confirmed "This shall be the covenant the house of Israel. After